Ecosystem Ponds

Macomb & Oakland Michigan (MI) ​Ecosystem Pond Information.

​Natural Ecosystem Ponds

How To Build a low maintenance Ecosystem Pond in Macomb & Oakland Michigan (MI), seems to be a frequently asked question in today's day and age, what with the 30 different opinions out there on how to build a pond what is one to do? We will explain the exact techniques and products that we employ every day to build our customers here in the Macomb & Oakland Michigan (MI) area low maintenance backyard ponds.

Once you finally decide that you want a beautiful waterscapeto come home to, the next step is to come up with a pond design that works for you. This pond design can be a front yard pond with curb appeal or a Backyard wildlife refuge creating your own private getaway.

​An ecosystem encompasses all the parts of the Macomb & Oakland Michigan (MI) area living environment, including the plants and animals, and the non-living components, such as water, air and the sun’s energy. A pond’s ecosystem begins with the water as the base. Everything found above the base is completely dependent, either directly or indirectly, on water.

​Biological filters work to assist an ecosystem by using bacteria to break down pond wastes, converting them into harmless particles that will be used as aquatic plant fertilizers. Housed inside the biological filter are from filter mats. The filter mats will aid in the building of a bacteria colony. To add additional media, we recommend that you install several sets of BioBalls inside this unit. Again depending on the size of the biological filter & Pond you will need from one to four sets. Both of these types of media will allow the bacteria colony to grow and mature.

​Ecosystem ponds can be easy to understand if you have a good grasp of what components go into a basic, functioning ecosystem. An ecosystem pond works with Mother Nature to provide food, shelter, and safety to the wildlife around it. It also provides you with an all-natural, low-maintenance piece of paradise for your Macomb & Oakland Michigan (MI) backyard. It’s important to remember, however, that every piece of the ecosystem puzzle must be present in order for a true ecosystem to be in place. Eliminate one of these elements and you’ve got an unbalanced ecosystem that won’t be so low-maintenance anymore.

Skimmer Pond FilterThe first part of mechanical filtration starts with the Skimmer Pre-Filter. Skimmer units work much like a pool skimmer. they collect surface debris , and pre-filter water pumped into the Biological Filter. The circulation pump sits inside the skimmer, thus removing from the bottom of the pond, drastically reducing the maintenance needed to unclog the pump in most pond designs.

The water that enters the skimmer is pumped up through the biological Biofalls filter unit, through the filter media and microscopic bacteria located in this media go to work scrubbing the pond clean of green water. Lava Rock or BioBalls are located in this unit. By combining both mechanical and biological filtration, the Ecosystem does the maintenance for you, reducing your work and increasing your enjoyment. In the past, people have used the Lava Rocks in mesh bags on top of these mats. We have found, in our research that the lava rocks will eventually clog and recommend they be replaced every two years. These rocks are also heavy and cumbersome to remove and clean. Bioballs are easier to handle and will hold more good bacteria. To guarantee that you have seeded the bacteria into the filter media in the Biofalls, it is important to use the beneficial bacteria on the start up of your system in the spring and continue to use on a regular basis throughout the growing season.

​Pond Circulation SystemCirculation System is really just a fancy way of saying “pumps and plumbing.” The proper size pump and pipe diameter are extremely important for the aesthetics of a water feature. More importantly, an efficient circulation system keeps the water moving and provides the necessary oxygen levels for healthy fish and plants.

​A proper Filtration System includes the use of both a biological and a mechanical skimmer filter. A biological filter provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and remove excess nutrients from the water. A mechanical filter will not only pre-filter the water and house the pump; it will also skim debris from the water’s surface to prevent the accumulation of organic materials on the pond floor.

Biofalls Filtration Unit

​The water that enters the skimmer is pumped up through the biological Biofalls filter unit, through the filter media and microscopic bacteria located in this media go to work scrubbing the pond clean of green water. Lava Rock or BioBalls are located in this unit. By combining both mechanical and biological filtration, the Ecosystem does the maintenance for you, reducing your work and increasing your enjoyment. In the past, people have used the Lava Rocks in mesh bags on top of these mats. We have found, in our research that the lava rocks will eventually clog and recommend they be replaced every two years. These rocks are also heavy and cumbersome to remove and clean. Bioballs are easier to handle and will hold more good bacteria. To guarantee that you have seeded the bacteria into the filter media in the Biofalls, it is important to use the beneficial bacteria on the start up of your system in the spring and continue to use on a regular basis throughout the growing season.